Police investigating 7 missing children find them with estranged dad

The children were taken from their Fresno home when their mother and stepfather left them alone to go to a grocery store

Associated Press

FRESNO, Calif. — An FBI task force located seven children unharmed Thursday who have been missing for several days from their home in Fresno, police said.

The children — ages 5 to 12 — were found with their father at his home in Sacramento, Fresno police Sgt. Jaime Rios said.

He told the Fresno Bee that they were in good spirits.

Police had said earlier that they had been unable to contact the father, Xa Yang, who had been estranged from his family for three years.

The father was not detained. Rios said that Fresno and Sacramento police departments will investigate to determine if a crime was committed.

The children were taken from their Fresno home when their mother and stepfather left them alone to go to a grocery store Saturday evening. The mother and stepfather told police when they returned from the store the children — along with their clothes in the home — were gone.

Investigators said they found no signs of forced entry. They didn't believe the children were in any danger and didn't issue an Amber Alert.